Josh Wolff and Ben Olsen had been teammates on the youth national scene, at the 2000 Olympics and 2006 World Cup. They’d been MLS adversaries since entering the league in 1998, Olsen with D.C. United and Wolff with the Chicago Fire and Kansas City Wizards. In December, old friends reconnected: Wolff, 34, a sleek forward with 13 years of pro experience, and Olsen, 33, newly promoted as D.C. United’s head coach after serving as caretaker late last season. Olsen needed a seasoned forward with leadership traits, explains Steven Goff.

“I needed someone like Josh, a guy I was familiar with, someone who could help me with a young team but also help me as a coach,” Olsen said of Wolff, who scored in D.C United's season opener. “We’ve been through a lot together. He knows me very well and he knows the game very well.”

“I’m not here to be camp counselor, but I am certainly here to help guys as well,” said Wolff. “I understand my role at this point in my career.”

Said Olsen, “If I am out of line, he’s one of the guys that can maybe pull me aside and say, ‘What do you think about this?’ He’s never going to overstep his boundaries in that relationship, but as a coach, you need guys like that. I trust him as a person and I trust him as a player.”